Five weeks later, Twitter’s founder Evan Williams had his first tweet and the way in which the world communicates changed. Well, that was only part of it. In between then and now, Facebook has grown to the size of the world’s third-largest country, videos go viral and reach more people than many mainstream media outlets ever did and the way in which we speak with our fans is vastly different than in 2006.

We wrote that day from Vero Beach that “It is our sincere hope that much like the cornfields in Iowa, ‘if we build it, you will come.'” And you have. Thousands and thousands of you view this site daily (admittedly, I stopped checking the numbers long ago) and the comments are among the most active on the entire MLBlogs network. Even as the regularity of posts has dropped off, you’ve still made Inside the Dodgers the ninth-most visited site on the network, according to the November leaders.

So as we wind down for the holidays, we’re trying to figure out what exactly we should be doing with this site for 2011. We have every intention of keeping it up and keeping it active, but we’ve got to do a better job of keeping it fresh…perhaps more photos, video and a true inside look at the thing you all care about most – the Dodgers.

Any and all ideas are welcome…it’s really been amazing to watch the community here grow. In some cases, kids who started reading this blog in junior high are shipping off to college. Others, like Joe Pierre, made their first pilgrimage to Dodger Stadium after decades of loving the team. One couple even met on Inside the Dodgers and are now married. OK, I made that one up, but the amazing stories go on and on…

So we thank for your support over the years and your patience as we redefine what this blog is all about. Happy holidays to all, here’s to a healthy 2011 (with a lot of victories and a parade) and stay tuned for more from Inside the Dodgers.

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213 Comments

I love “Inside the dodgers” and hope you continue it for a long time, Josh. I have met a lot of wonderful people on this blog and, who better to chat with during the games than Dodger fans.
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I think it would be fun to hear some more personal stories about the players. It would be great to do some questions and anwers with some of them.
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I know you have to put up with quite a bit of bashing by most of us but, we, the fans, love our Dodgers and want nothing but the best outcome for our team.

Josh, thanks so much for wanting to keep ITD going in spite of the fact that we have so many ways to gets news of the Dodgers. I still prefer talking to other Dodger fans here than Facebook and as we have seen, a lot more people read these posts than actually take the time to post themselves. I will repeat what I have said before about what sort of content I would like to see: inside information (nothing confidential or too imposing) on the players and staff about their jobs, how they go about preparing, etc. We know the players have limited time but it would be great to get them to answer some of our questions (again, nothing too personal) about playing the game. It would be great to get some of the coaches involved as well.

Josh,
I know a couple that met at Dodger Stadium and got married this year. They are both season ticket holders. they had these little chocolates and the wrapper had “From Let’s Go Dodgers” to “I Do.” It also has a caricature picture of them in their wedding gear. She is shown in a batting stand with a bat on her hand. Their wedding had a nice Dodger theme to it.
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Congrats on the #9 ranking in November. I came in at #24 and I dedicated it to Walter Alston. i did not know before that he used to teach in High School in the offseason.
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Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

HEY JOSH – how about getting MLB to fix the blog so we can all post on the same time zone or time clock? Be nice too if they’d fix it so that it didn’t kick some of us to the screen – Internet Explorer Cannot Open This Webpage, or others who get submission errors for no reason. Be nice if they’d fix things where you wouldn’t have to sign on 5-6-7 times a day/night, and where you wouldn’t have to reboot your modem just to get a post to go through. Sorry to be crabby, but we’ve been begging for a year and a half now and all its done is gotten worse.

Better yet, how about starting a Dodgers blog completely independent of MLB where you can talk to other bloggers in real time? (Like we used to be able to before they “improved” things twice and made it almost unuseable when more than two people are on.)

Kahli – Usually that is the case with us grade school teachers too, but this year, I would prefer to evaporate my principal. And the scary thing is I would be on a long list with at least 90% of my colleagues wanting to do the same thing.

Josh – I know it’s out of your control, but I am with the rest of the gang who finds it difficult to communicate like we used to based on the way the blog (technology speaking) is running. The time warp is well over an hour and a half now, and I truly believe that is the issue behind the submission errors as well. The time clock doesn’t understand how I can be posting one post at the regular time and another post an hour and a half into the future, all within 5 minutes of each other.

I do read both facebook and twitter, but it’s really just to gauge how our thinking compares to the rest of the Dodger fans out there in cyberspace. However, it doesn’t compare to the fun and experiences we have had on here. Plus, most of the Dodger fans I communicate with on facebook are part of this group. Jungar originated the group, and it grew from there.

I would like to see more on the players themselves, and what things they do away from the ball park. I think it would be great to once in a while focus on some of the employees of the Dodgers……………..the unsung heroes so to speak. The people that work behind the scenes to make the Dodgers who they are or Dodger Stadium what it is.

I third the motion on fixing the blog. Unfortunately, it appears to be a problem of MLB, not a local problem. But it does ruin the experience a bit when your comments don’t follow the points of a previous blogger, but rather, jump behind, never to be read by anyone.

As for content, how great would it be to have a coach or player (just removed from the game) chiming in on the blog in real time during the game, just like us real nerds. Cell phone w/internet or iPad would do the trick.

Nelly, I don’t know about you and the little darlings of grade school, but at this point in the school year I just want to evaporate teenagers. Period.

I love ITD!!! Josh, thanks SO MUCH for putting up with all of us, but I?d be lost without ITD. I?m not on FB and I?m not on Twitter. Now my son keeps up with Dodger news on FB, but mom hasn?t totally bought into it; yet. I know I?ve said it before but like lbirken, I?ll repeat it again. I too would like to see some info on the players (nothing confidential or too imposing). But I love what kahli mentioned; have a coach or player that was just removed from the game so we can interact with him. That would be cool indeed!

Oh, and one more thing Josh. You can answer at your leisure, but wouldn?t you and your office get involved with something like the Dodgers? Pride Night with the LA Kings? I just noticed on the Kings? website that they?re promoting that night.

I really appreciated some of the older updates that you used to have that would notify us of player appearances in advance. The dodger website does not do a good job of telling us what is coming, but rather tellls us what has already occurred (which is ok too).

Additionally more pictures would be a huge plus . .things from the locker room and other areas that we dont get to see as a fan on a normal basis

I’ve only been reading ITD for the last couple months, but all in all, I’ve liked the content on here. It’s more than I get from Dodgers.com, and for once, I don’t have to hear biased crap from the writers there about how the latest signing is a step in the right direction and makes no mention of the negative. It’s a two sided story, and I wish people, especially writers we’re more open about the truth of affairs that occur instead of sugar coating it.

Not to sound so negative, but I do enjoy this blog, and the people I’ve met on here are probably some of the best people I have ever had the pleasure of speaking with. One thing I would love to see added to this blog, more than anything, is an updated flash of what’s happening out in Dodger land. Like where are the players signing, what causes their supporting, who’s hot in the minors, etc. Something that allows all of us to see the players in person, and not only interact with them, but help them in their endeavor.

Maybe even speak with them on here. Like on the road, have one of them speak or write on here about how the life of a player is. I know that’s probably a little bit of a stretch, but IDK, seems to me like a good idea.

And something else that has been gauging my mind for ages has been the fact that in all sports, or at least some sports, the fans and Management are two separate people. In my opinion, I’d outline having a weekly chat with either the owner or the GM, the Manager, or someone that can tell us the truth or answer our questions.

Not only would that be ideal for easing some tensions between fans and ownership, but it would also give us a forum on which to ask some questions and have the fans decide something else other than how much money the owners make.

That to me would be great for this blog, or something that is spawned from this blog.

My intentions for this note is not to moan and quarrel, but to offer some new ideas.

And to all posters on here, Hi. Hope your holiday’s are going great so far. As for me, I’m so close to finishing my fall semester, but I still think about Dodger blue during my breaks. LOL.

Thank.

PS- READ MY BLOG IF YOU’D LIKE, AND PLEASE COMMENT. SOME OF IT MIGHT BE REDUNDANT, BUT PLEASE STOP BY AND READ MY MUSINGS.

The only thing I would like to know here is when those 2 low life owners decide they have to sell. Philly wants to win, the Dodgers are content with being a third rate franchise. All the McCourts care about is treating this club like their own personal ATM. If people stopped showing up at games and they couldn’t pay for their homes and lawyers, they would sell in a heartbeat. The trash collector doesn’t help either. The trash collector said he wouldn’t do anything unless it improves the club, I’d like to ask him how players like Gwynn Jr and doughnut Navarro help the club?

Best Wishes to Russell. I have a feeling he will do well in New York. I would have liked to see if he would have had a better year this year seeing how there is a new manager. The theory’s out there that Joe could have been an issue for all of our young players, including Russell.

Here?s what really hurts:
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We used to compete with the big boys, the Yankees, Phillies, Giants, etc.
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Now those teams have passed us by. Now, thanks to our brilliant owner(s), we will be competing with the likes of the Pirates and the Royals.
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I?m looking forward to cheering on our Dodgers in 2011 to not finish last in our division ? what an accomplishment that will be!

I hope things turn out well for Russell Martin but I think he will find Yankee fans a bit less forgiving than Dodger fans. No way of knowing if this would have happened without the hip injury but my guess is Martin’s decline offensively would still have caused some concern about what kind of money the Dodgers would have been willing to pay to retain Martin. Fans still have to remember that when the Dodgers gave up Santana for Casey Blake, Martin figured to be behind the plate in a Dodger uniform for a long time and third base had been a black hole. Not sure Russell will ever be able to shake the PED suspicion. Oh well, isn’t hindsight just grand?

But Birk – Santana was the organizations best hitting prospect at the time. To deal him AND a pitcher for 2 months of Blake was assinine no matter what we had at catcher at the time. A team’s virtually always in need of catching at some level just by sheer attrition, and Ned’s now reaping what he sewed – no Martin, no Santana, no May, no mas catchers. Santana could’ve been moved to another position had Martin stayed at the level he started out at. I do think that most of the Blake move was governed by Frank not wanting to add payroll, but a good baseball man would’ve either fought tooth and nail against it and come up with a different package. Blake brought some stability to 3B, but to give up 2 top prospects for a guy that really was never going to be a difference maker was Ned at his finest.

Hello ITD!
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Younghitter,
Glad to see you posting here! You make some good points.
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Josh,
I was looking at the Quakes coachers for 2011 and I don’t see Charlie Houff. He was always very friendly when we went to a game with the Booster Club and we fed the team afterwards. What is he doing now?
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thanks
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

E, I am not defending Ned but just trying to put things into perspective. I agree that the Blake deal had a lot to do with filling a hole without affecting payroll. Shortsighted or creative, call it what you will. Sometimes things don’t work out the way you hope they will. All player moves have risks. I think it presumes a lot to suggest Santana could have been moved to another position when it still has not been proven he can be a consistent everyday catcher at the major league level. Anyway, and no offense to Barajas or A.J. Ellis but I think I would prefer a crappy Martin behind the plate over the alternatives we have at the moment.

To review, Ned had Blake in the bag for Jonathon Meloan straight up. Meloan was in the top 2 or 3 minor league pitchers at the time. Ned tossed in Santana so that he didn’t have to pay 2 months of Blake’s salary. Period.

Birk, it does presume a lot to say that Santana was/is a can’t miss guy. Hell, Meloan hasn’t done anything and he was more advanced in the system than Santana. But while hindsight is indeed 20/20, I was one of many who groaned at this move. Especially when it was revealed that we gave up a kid in the Top 50 for 2 months’ salary.

Changing the subject, I have to say that I’m surprised that no one has mentioned Ned’s acquisition of 5-tool talent:
1) Velez is fast. He doesn’t know how to run bases, but he’s fast. Nedscore = 0.5
2) Gwynn has a good glove. Nedscore = 1.5
3) Castro also has a good glove. Nedscore = 2.5
4) Oeltjen has, um, well he is, ….. Nedscore = 2.55
5) Barajas has, um, he can catch …. Nedscore = 3.0
6) Uribe has some pop. Nedscore = 4.0

I keep forgetting we’ve scaled back our expectations. Four out of 5 ain’t bad, even if it took 6 guys to get it.

Ned’s blown whatever little cover he had. He has outed himself. He is a double-agent, working for the gnats. It was a pleasure reading TJ Simers say what a lot of us have been saying for a long time. Ned is a liar and the worst judge of talent in baseball.

It’s pretty easy to see that at this, you don’t have to be a genius to pull of a Colleti. All he does is deal for players who are stop gaps or are over the hill. Maybe once in a blue moon, he gets a good one, but overall, he is as dumb a GM as anyone EVERRR…He is horrible, and I honestly don’t know which trade was worse: 3B Prospect Josh Bell for RP George Sherill or C Prospect Carlos Santana for 3B Casey Blake. Those two players would of helped us this off-season, due to thefact thqt we still need a replacement at 3B and someone young to take over at the Catching spot. Ned really did take 2 steps back on those two. And why OF Andrew Lambo and SP/RP John McDonald for RP Octavio Dotel. Why Ned why?.

It’s pretty easy to see that at this, you don’t have to be a genius to pull of a Colleti. All he does is deal for players who are stop gaps or are over the hill. Maybe once in a blue moon, he gets a good one, but overall, he is as dumb a GM as anyone EVERRR…He is horrible, and I honestly don’t know which trade was worse: 3B Prospect Josh Bell for RP George Sherill or C Prospect Carlos Santana for 3B Casey Blake. Those two players would of helped us this off-season, due to thefact thqt we still need a replacement at 3B and someone young to take over at the Catching spot. Ned really did take 2 steps back on those two. And why OF Andrew Lambo and SP/RP John McDonald for RP Octavio Dotel. Why Ned why?.

We grew up Bleeding Dodger Blue
We all know this is true
Around DodgerTown our summers did run
Finishing first
Or second at the worst
Now I feel so broke up
Frank needs to go home

So put up the team for sale
Before the kids all bail
The net worth will get no higher
Please Frank, go home,
Get your asss home
Just get your asss home, yeah yeah
The core will break up
If you don?t go home

Ned gets us old gnat junk
He signs players while he?s drunk
Why can?t someone just come and take him away
Sheriff Joe Arpaio
You could just call him John Doe, yeah yeah
No one?ll miss him, please take him on home

So put up the team for sale
Before the kids all bail
The net worth will get no higher
Please Frank, go home, get your asss home
Just get your asss home, get your asss home
Why don’t you get your asss home
(Put up the team for sale)
Put up the team for
Take the ex with you, and get your asss home
Please just go home

You gave Ned eighty mil
It should have been a poison pill
He spent it and said, ?We got nothin? eye-opening?
Just go on home
Why don’t you just get on home

This is the worst trip I’ve ever been on

So put up the team for sale
Before the kids all bail
The net worth will get no higher
Just get on home, get your asss home
I want your asss home, get your asss home
Why don’t you get your asss home

nellyjune-unfortunately, that same statement can be said about anything these days, but its this dodgers regime that is driving this franchise into chaos. Not even when FOX owned this team, was there this much disgust at a team, never was there a longer drought in which a ROTY did not come from the Dodgers.

As always, it’s easier to ask why things are the way they are, but sometimes, we maybe never find an answer. As always, it’s a hush hush society and as such, many find it raveling to unearth something that incriminates, and never search for something or some kind of daylight at the end of this figurative tunnel. our own homegrown players have, in a way, seen how this once promising franchise is getting negative hype, and how it feels playing for something that is so opposite to what they have come to know and been taught.

This Dodger way, the way that our ancestors or elders loved the game, how players gave it their all, and wore that Dodger home jersey with pride and would tangle it up with a Giants player just because they hate each other. Now, theirs nothing but this banal way in which their is no emotion in the game.

trades used to mean something, where a player would go would determine a rivalry, but now, its just a way to stick it to someone. it doesn’t matter how old some players are, some teams trade just to block their rivals from acquiring that player. young players are pushed aside for the greediness of some owners, but on this team, its more of a mesmerizing effect, as we trade our young with promise, for old with decline, and doubts.

quite frankly, (ahh, the irony in the word frankly), this isn’t the dodger way. not even when fox owned the team, was their this much uneasiness towards a team. a body or person can be placed in any position, but only a few can actually do something positive to impact the game and team.

throw out the stats, the obp, the avg, the hr’s, etc., and all you have is the player. the best question you can ask about a player is 1. does he have the attitude and mentality of, “im going to crush that ball, get on base, steal a bag, and score, and there’s not a dayumm thing you could do about it”, or, “imma throw this ball, make you look silly, have you spin into the ground, and strike you out or get you to ground out, and theirs not a dayuum thing you could do about it.”..

god, i wish i had been alive when it was an honor to go to a giants v. dodgers game, a yankees v. dodgers game, etc. this team, seems mediocre at best.

Looks like roughly a 1.5″ x 2″ ad that runs in the Sports section Monday thru Saturday will cost $118 might be the best deal. Anyone care to foot the bill and be a hero to us all? I don’t know how many words it would be limited to, but a simple “Save the Dodgers and Stay Away” might do. “Boycott McCourt – Don’t Buy or Use Dodger Tickets”

For those of you who live close and attend games, how about having banners made: “Dodger Tea Party” “Boycott McCheap” “Don’t Support Mediocrity” “Sell Our Dodgers” or something like it? Plant it in Elysian Park next to Stadium Way on game days. Bring picnic lunches and transistor radios. Gloves and balls. At best you’d pick off a few who normally buy tickets and contribute to a drop in attendance. At worst you’d call attention to our point of view and embarrass mccourt a little. And maybe even get a little press.

Why is everybody so upset? Velez is a huuuuge pick up for the Blue! We should easily overtake the snakes now. .
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Hopefully whoever is the next owner sees Ned’s moves and whacks him when he takes over. & Stan Conte while he’s at it. Throw in Steiner and make it a clean sweep.
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Many have mentioned staying away from the games to force Frank to sell. It’s hard to get the general fan to do this because they aren’t here or on the times blogs reading the comments. But does anybody know how much an add in the times would cost? Maybe we could pool some $$$ together and take out a full page add. Then start a blog about getting them out and putting that address on the add for others to chime in and see the outrage.
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Isn’t there a website that could be started up where people can donate $$$ and then an add can be taken out asking the fans not to go to games for the year as a sign to MLB that the McCourts must go.
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Anyone think this can be done?

Then on the blog encourage everybody to send a letter to the commissioners office explaining our outrage at what has been and is being done to this team & organization. Maybe if they start getting thousands of letters someone will listen and take some action.

Y-hitterz — Nice to meet you. I’ve read you the last few days and I think most of us are in agreement with you.
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I for one was a defender of Frank & Ned & Joe in the beginning.
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I beLIEved that they were honest and ethical and wanted what was best for the team and the fans of the Dodgers.
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I had feisty conversations with others here back in the day saying to give them a chance.
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I was wrong…

colliethec-
i’ve been trying to find a way on how to gather a meeting of the minds, and show our side of how this awful regime is not, was not, and will never be dodger owners. ive found a free website creation service that should help. its @

i would be more than happy to start it and get out the vote in a sense so dat ppl could come in and tlk about this regime and get together on this. maybe not go totally cold turkey, but like maybe a day wer no one parks at the stadium or no one buys beer, etc. honestly, ppl will always go to games, but if we could cut down on some of their money makers, then maybe they’ll see something they might of not seen earlier..lol..as if.

Eric — I just saw your post $118.00 is less than I thought. I don’t have much $$$ but that isn’t too bad.
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I think it would be good to have Y-Hitterz start the website.
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Then we can include the website address in the add. Then do as you said at the beginning of the season have signs posted with the website address.
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I love my team & most of the players but we all need to start doing something to show our displeasure as they (Frank, etc…) don’t seem to get it.

Does anyone have any ideas why Flanders would sign a 32 year old RIGHT HANDER (Matt Guerrier) for the bullpen to a 3-year $12 million contract? Why would you sign ANY 30+ reliever that’s not a closer to a 3-year $12 mil contract, let alone an aging RHP?
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Only thing I can think of is that he’s going to try and move Brox for a LFer. Be a great plan too when Brox is at his lowest value. Definitely fits the Ned mold.

Gang, I hate to throw cold water on the fire…but Frank “gets” it. He knows the fan base is disgusted with him and his ex. He knows the media is disgusted. Hell, he knows Peter O’Malley and Steve Garvey are disgusted. Unfortunately, the corporate sponsors are not disgusted with him, and this is, after all, the Corporate States of America. Now if Budweiser and Union 76 knew it would cost them money to sponsor McCourt, then you might have something. But you still have all the corporate luxury suites and boxes, you know, those $300 seats I’ll never sit in? Don’t let all the hoopla in Philly dampen your hope for the team. Hate McCourt, but let Mattingley and the players have a shot before we bury them. The shiniest roster doesn’t always win. These players are professionals with skill. Enjoy it. It’s just baseball. Go read the Philly blog. I get the feeling all those bloggers are sitting at their computers with their pants at their ankles,

Kahli, you are right on target. I think Ned, Frank and company do know what they are doing (scary thought, I admit). And I will admit I am as much to blame because I still will attend my 10-15 games next season knowing what I know. I too thought the McCourts would be good for the Dodgers and wanted to win. I did not want to believe all he was interested in was cash flow (mostly incoming). Unfortunately, we all now know a lot more about the McCourts and what they have done to this franchise. I still believe things can get better but I also know the McCourts are really stubborn people who believe the world revolves around them.

But it is still baseball on the field and none of this changes the crisp 6-4-3 double play, a rifle throw from the outfield that nails a runner at the plate, a leaping catch at the outfiled wall that takes away a potential home run, a seeing eye bouncer up the middle that drives in two runs to tie the game, a drag bunt, an Albert Pujols pop up with two outs and the bases loaded, Tommy Lasorda waving to the crowd, or hearing “I Love L.A.” after a win. I challenge the players to play the way yunghitterz mentioned in an earlier post. That is why we watch; we watch the players, not the owners.

Josh- More on the specific duties of coaches and their preparation for a game with the team.
Kahli,Ibirken and Collie, I agree with you, but we need to educate the more pedetrian fans about the McCourt muck up, and the gnat in dodger blue GM. I certainly would contribute to improving the player selection, and building a better Dodger team chemistry, Donnie baseball or Lopes cannot do it alone.
Last year I refused to make the drive to my dodgers mecca.
This season, probably the same, but may donate the $$ I would spend to a legit cause that would improve the dodgers, these deals we made this winter, while a top line Ace goes to the Phillies, is outrageous, what kind of market does Mc Court think he is playing in? NO world series appearence in 22 years, you would have to go back to Brooklyn to find a longer ” wait till next” period. Shische, that was the giants banner for over 50 years, I do not want to mimic that, I might be dead by then.

Given the possibility of endless appeals in the courts, we could all be dead before the McCourts release us from our pain by selling the team.
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Or, given the redirection/submission errors that I’m getting, I could be dead before this comment gets posted!!!!!

I suppose if I were a Frank McCourt supporter I could argue under his ownerships the Dodgers got closer to the World Series than anytime since 1988. The Dodger slide started a long time ago. I recall the rookie of the year streak but in that time the Dodgers did not win a playoff game. The reality is baseball changed financially and the Dodgers failed every time they tried to keep up with the Jones’. They tried big contracts (see Kevin Brown) and what did it accomplish? You younger folks want to know the Dodger way to play baseball? Ask Tommy Lasorda and he will tell you. He will tell you about the 700 plus players in the system when he got to Spring training in the late 40’s. He will tell you about how the Dodgers developed players by teaching them the fundamentals of the game and how he learned it at the major league level. The Dodgers used to develope players but the landscape has changed. Of course, it was easier before free agency and the big contracts. I still believe the Dodger’s decline began the night Al Campanis appeard on Night Line, unprepared and tired. He wrote the book on the Dodger way to play baseball (there really was a book by that name). In a heartbeat he was gone. And the makeup of the players has changed so now when we see a player hustle and get dirty, we call him a throwback player to remind us of another era.

Can the Dodgers regain their position as one of the premier oranizations? I believe it can happen but it will take a major overhaul of the entire organization from the top down. It will take an owner who is really committed to winning and to the fans and one who is not so financially strapped. It will take an owner who understands the history and tradition and who will not accept mediocricy, someone like Magic Johnson who seems to know how to get things done, and not like what we have or a Donald Sterling. For the time being, it will take management who can find players who either understand what it takes to win or can be taught how to do it. It might even take getting a lot out of players the way the Giants did this past season. If they can do it, why can’t the Dodgers?

Ibirken- Your point is very true, al campanis is a good starting point of decline, I believe fred claire took over after that. His signing of Kirk Gibson was his highlight, and some of gibby’s ” we are gonna win” tude, is what every dodger needs to exhibit. Can we pass the hat, Dodger of course, and get funding to take the team to the throw back days, Buzzy Bavasi et al, and some fundamentals on fielding, base running and situational hitting.
Mr. McCourt you don’t realize how fun it is to win a world series, try it you’ll like it.

Never thought I’d say this…but baseball needs a salary cap. Badly. If championships are now going to be tied to TV contracts, baseball will see a steady stream of Phils, Yanks and Red Sox–who just happen to be three of the last four world champions, the hated Gnats breaking that streak. The NFL is king because any team can win it all, year to year. Baseball is hanging on to us purists, but for the large majority of the population, it’s popularity is in decline. Can you blame the casual fan? In the last decade, only two small market teams have won it all–Marlins and D-Backs. I don’t consider SF to be small market. Maybe I’m just sour grapes at Philly’s pitching staff, but I’ll bet most agree with me. Then again, maybe not…

All of you (or at least most of you) know that I LOVE ITD to no end and am really sorry when I am not able to post as frequently like I used to. I?ve loved meeting many of you in person in the past. And perhaps I could?ve written a post like this a long time ago, but I always thought I had a thick skin and things that I read that would ?upset me? would roll right off my back. And 99% of the time it does. And I can?t really put my finger on exactly what is bothering me now, but I think all of the negative vibes and feelings (use whatever word you want to use here) towards Ned?s off season acquisitions to dooming the 2011 Dodgers to the back of beyond to (again, use whatever word/phrase you want to put here) is really depressing.

First Adrian Gonzalez was traded to the Bo Sox and then they signed Crawford to that ridiculous contract (although I understand that contract A LOT MORE than Werth?s). After those two moves, many pundits were saying that Boston is the best team in baseball. Well, I can understand that reasoning to a point, given the caliber of those two players alone. Then came the Lee ?Cliff?hanger (pun intended here). Once Lee signed with the Phillies, and everyone saw that ridiculous starting lineup (and by ridiculous, I mean that in a VERY GOOD WAY) and not only anointed the Phillies as the NL East winner but that the Phillies would be playing Boston for the WS title. And all this in mid-December 2010.

I?ve seen and heard and read some pretty ridiculous postings online this off season. Many of you know that by and large, I?ve liked the moves that Ned has made this off season. I realize I?m in the minority here, but ITD used to be good at overlooking blatant differences of opinions among posters and still providing a good forum for Dodger fans to converse. And we all know that while we all love our Dodgers, we all have our different ways of expressing that love for our Boys in Blue. That?s fine with me ? that?s ALWAYS been fine with me.

But a couple of things bother me. First is the ?Don?t go to Dodger games and line the McCourts? pockets blah, blah, blah?? attitude. This has got to be my biggest pet peeve; but most of you know this. But the second thing that has been bothering me ? especially during this off season is that it seems that many here are all ready to throw the 2011 Los Angeles Dodgers under the bus (again, all this in mid-December).

I mean doesn?t anyone know that it?s only December and that ST doesn?t start for another two months and the season doesn?t start for another three and a half months. Whatever happened to the ?Let?s see them play between the lines and see what happens to the season? attitude? One game at a time attitude? I mean, I?m not talking about everyone thinking everything is hunky-dory terrific when the Dodgers? 2011 season may look like cr** come mid-September 2011. But what all the doom and gloom? It seems like ITDers have bought in to the media?s anointing Boston or Philadelphia as the 2011 WS Champion.

Bottom line I will have a lot of difficulty posting on ITD any time soon. Like I said before, it?s not the difference in opinion that bothers me; if it did, I would NEVER have started posting on ITD to begin with. And if you want to call me optimistic, go ahead and do so; that would be a GREAT compliment to me if you did. But it seems to me that ITD (throughout all of our differing opinions) never gave up on this team ? especially THREE AND A HALF MONTHS BEFORE OPENING DAY!!! I realize Ned?s moves and the McCourts? marital problems haven?t made things easier and have actually fueled the songs that many have parodied here. But I just don?t remember a time when so many are ready to call it a season for the Dodgers before it even starts. That?s sad to me; really, really sad.

lbirken and cp, looks like we’re in agreement here on positive vibration, as Bob Marley might say. Let me also add that I enjoy ALL the bloggers in here and consider you in some weird, bizarre way as family. I know we’re frustrated. 1988 was a lifetime ago and before that, I can still see poor Al Campanis with the Astrodome field in the background. But remember, y’all, when we blog that this player or that player is a loser or a scrub or dumpster trash or a waste of money (and I’m guilty of this, too), it’s not Ned or Frank losing any sleep. It’s the innocent player being trashed before he’s even put on a Dodger uniform. ‘Tis the season right?

I remember that first post, reading this blog since then. It’s been beyond awesome to have a foot in the door of the Dodgers Front office. Commentor avatars would be nice as a change, or ability to use italics, bold and underscore in comments (and strikeout, if you could see fit).

EnchantedSunset’s on to something with the idea of starting another blog outside of the MLBlogs system. Reading the Dodgers’ website since its inception in the late 1990’s, it was awesome that my favorite team had its own webpage, one of the first baseball teams if not the first. There was a unique individuality in the site, as the team was the author AND the architect of the site.

Although it’s a sign of the unique anti-trust protections Major League Baseball has, I find it utterly off-putting that with the MLB, EVERY site has to look the same as every other site. EVERY team has a fan club named the “Jr. _____”. EVERY team follows the same style guide to a fault, with the 30 teams functioning as one uniform unit, as opposed to the NFL functioning as 32 separate teams with their own style, yet even that is soon to be in dispute once Reebok loses the uniform contract, leaving the door open for Nike to impose its System-Of-Dress video-games-on-steroids design schemes that have turned football jerseys into stretchy, sleeveless bastardizations (or monstrosities, if that word’s deleted) that are turning football jerseys into ballerina outfits.

With MLB’s contract with Majestic about to end, I shudder to think of the swill Nike would come up with if handed the keys to the MLB uniform locker, especially with the Cool Base fabrics and Alternate jerseys…. blech.

BUT back to my point. One of the reasons I, and many other longtime Dodgers fans, fell in love with the Dodgers because they were a unique organization. The letters recieved from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 90’s was the same blue typewritten font that I’ve seen on the stationery and letterheads from Brooklyn in the 1950’s. The Dodgers did things their own way, and this team thrived on it, and the fans have flocked to this individuality, their undying devotion as eternal as complaints about concession prices, parking and traffic at the Ravine. (Really, read news articles from the 60’s, I got a kick out of it).

What would go a long way in creating some stability in the midst of the ongoing uncertainty about ownership issues is a re-connection to the individualism of the Dodgers franchise. Break the mold as the O’Malley’s did. Make EVERY fan (not just the ones in the over-$100 seats) feel like they are a part of something bigger, something to be proud of, the Dodger way. Maybe not THE Dodger Way of O’Malley lore, but a commitment to doing right by the fans investing money they could probably use more rationally otherwise, putting up with traffic and rising prices across the board, enduring a malestrom of change in one of the most traditional franchises of America’s most traditional sport to buy what you’re selling.

If there was a way to make this blog stand out, to make the franchise stand out, to have the other 29 teams playing catch-up again as the Dodgers broke barrier after barrier as they used to, I would be beyond happy.

Hello….And the news you all have been waiting for lol….Guillermo Mota has been offered five minor league contracts and the “finalists” for his services are the Dodgers, Giants and Rays, reports Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes

From what I have seen written about what the Dodgers offered Martin, I believe he was treated fairly and with respect considering his decline offensively and the situation with his injury. In this case the Dodgers made a business decision and a baseball decision that made some sense and I think it could be argued whatever offer they made was more than generous. I suppose it could also be argued the Dodgers knew Martin would not accept a lesser role but he should understand the economics of the game almost guaranteed the Dodgers would lose in arbitration. But let’s put some of this on Russell’s shoulders: if his offensive production had not declined so drastically I am quite confident the Dodgers would have looked past the injury and taken a chance as they did with Furcal. Russell, thanks for what you did as a Dodger and good luck but don’t ruin things by making unnecessary comments.

“I wanted to see how much they really wanted me, because if they did, they would have tendered me a contract,” Martin said. “That was really it. I wanted to see how bad the Dodgers wanted me and if they still believed in me. By doing that, they kind of gave me the answer.”

Wish i was offended to the tune of $4.2 million. Ahhhhhh, those lovable athletes.

I’m not ready to concede anything either, but… while we’re waiting for spring training, how about an IDT Tour of the McCourt houses. We could judge for ourselves if they are worth a catcher, pitcher and left fielder. Might as well see where the money went.

lbirken – I agree!! Andre does get mentioned in pinstripes way too much for my liking. He looks so much better in Dodger blue. Once again, I wish Russell the best, but you make a good point about his production before he got hurt. I am sure that played a part in how the Dodgers handled the situation.

To me, the most exciting thing about 2011 will be whether or not Donnie Baseball is the real deal at the helm. That, and Lopes as a coach. This team has shown it has enough talent to sniff the World Series. Anyone can get hot in the playoffs. As for Broxton, don’t trade him, just don’t let him close. He was a great set-up man for Saito.

Dedication to Ned for being a finalist in the Mota Sweepstakes. The Association – Along Comes Mary:
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ALONG COMES NEDDIE
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Ev?ry time a stinkin? PVLs alone and thinkin?,
?No ones calls on me.?
And every now and then when time and age is catching up
And pups will play for free…
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And then along comes Neddie-eee
Gives an older guy a steady check, and makes our team a wreck
And one we don?t want to see-ee-ee-ee
He likes to rather gather tails for guys who lean on rails
With Yankee memories.
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When they met Ned said he had some punch.
Now another signing makes me just lose my lunch.
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When arms are tweaked and past their peak and simply have no spark
Career is dead, they?re a has been.
Their past is gassed and rival teams stand back aghast for fear
That they?ll want to play again.
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And then along comes Neddie-eee
He wants to overpay with glee, and cannot see reality
They should be glue fa-ac-tor-ied
How they will struggle much with O B P and pitching counts and such
Will make us go insane.
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Ned sure goes out and gets him a bunch.
With every signing makes me just lose my lunch.
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[musical interlude]
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And now the dust has cleared and Carl and Lee were not to be
Only flaccid bats not adept for left.
The psycho signings leave us opining
Won?dring how we?ll win again without a star
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And then along comes Neddie-ee
To sign older guys who?ll never whine while sitting kids on the pine
To wither on the vi-i-i-i-ne
When will our mournful cries and rolling eyes make Neddie
Realize our battlecry we don?t want no more?
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The next guy Ned signs, I have a hunch
He?ll be another makes me just lose my lunch.
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Just lose my lunch…
Just lose my lunch…
Just lose my lunch…
Just Lose My Lunch!

CP!
I love your post! Keep up the good work girl!
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Lots of good posts and nice songs from the ITD talent.
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Wondering if you will post back the Christmas parodies or create new ones. I imagine with little change, they would work for this year.
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I can bitch a little but the truth is I can’t stay away from Our Lady of Chavez Ravine! I love the Dodgers and baseball too much. I love Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers and baseball are my addiction so although I have ignored the calls about renewing my season tickets, I know at the end I will renew.
Rain or shire, they are my beloved Bums.
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Hate me ‘cuz I can’t stay away, just don’t hate me ‘cuz of my love π
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

For once in a long time, we’ll have no right handed hitter to play LF, or platoon for that matter. We have X.Paul, T. Gwynn Jr., and J. Gibbs to play the LF, and none have the power we need out of the positions. Best we can hope for is that C. Blake can play RF and Ethier LF, and R. Mitchell plays at 3B, or we get a good 3B..

The best we can do now is get a good 3B so we can atleast have a good OF’er that can hit the ball out. Maybe Blake is old but he has good fundamentals and he can still field the ball really well.

For once in a long time, we’ll have no right handed hitter to play LF, or platoon for that matter. We have X.Paul, T. Gwynn Jr., and J. Gibbs to play the LF, and none have the power we need out of the positions. Best we can hope for is that C. Blake can play RF and Ethier LF, and R. Mitchell plays at 3B, or we get a good 3B..
The best we can do now is get a good 3B so we can atleast have a good OF’er that can hit the ball out. Maybe Blake is old but he has good fundamentals and he can still field the ball really well.

Hi everybody.
I just wanted to say that ITD was the first blog I had ever posted on, In fact I didn’t even know what a blog was.
I probably would’ve never bought a computer if it wasn’t for the Dodgers.
I followed the team since I was 8 years old, right after we lost to the Cardinals in the ’46 playoffs.
After they left in ’57, I was heartbroken and I had trouble rooting for the Yankees, so I tried to continue to follow the Dodgers.
The first 50 years was the hardest but now it’s a lot more fun. (and easier)
It’s great to have Vin Scully and the Dodgers back in my living room where they left in ’57.
As long as I live, I’ll always be thankful to Josh and many of you, who gave me a chance to see the Dodgers in person at Dodger Stadium.

RF- power position, yes we have some. LF-power position, no power. 3rd base power position, maybe a little bit, maybe? 1st base power position, don’t make me laugh. How is this team supposed to win? Where will the ribbies come from? Doesn’t Ned remember last season when this almost exact same team got shut out the most in the majors? What will change this, Garland or Uribe? I hope I’m wrong, but I really think we’re going to break some kind of being shut out record this season. Doesn’t Ned ever learn? How can one guy keep repeating the same mistakes over and over?

I hear you Dodger 32. I’m one who can’t complain about Loney, though. He’s always first or second in the RBI numbers on the team, and he saves lots of runs with his glove. Guess we’ll have to see how things play out . . .
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What I want to know is how can one guy continue making the same mistakes multiple times and stay employed with the same “company”? So who’s the bigger fool?

CP, the optimists among us balance the pessimists! Don’t you think that’s what so fun about this stuff? I do! In fact, I’m thinking we need MORE optimists right about now, so don’t you stop posting! Hear?

1 – Staying away from Dodger Stadium is the best way to get mccheap to sell the team, and getting a new owner is the only hope to keep the core and build a winner.
2 – Attending a game at Dodger Stadium is the best way to spend a summer evening/day. It’s a link to my childhood that will never die. Memories piled on memories.

This might be the most dichotomic subject we Dodger fans face. Personally, I fall in the “not-gonna-go-until” portion, although I freely admit that being 100 miles away doesn’t make it much of a character challenge for me. While I feel strongly about it, in no way will I ever criticize you or emma or birk or anyone else who can’t stop going. I completely understand and support your decision.

enchanted, THAT was a great song! You are the master! “He wants to overpay with glee, and cannot see reality
They should be glue fa-ac-tor-ied” LMAO!!! It’s #621 on DodgerLyrics!

Hello All,
eric, congrats on the letter, though I’m in the shrinking minority of optimists, here. We’ve all been to rock shows where the band NEVER changes up, just the same song, over and over…the lyrics changing, but little else? Pretty soon your head aches and the band loses all credibility or interest. And so that the blog might move on to more creative issues, allow me to reset what has already been said ad nauseum:
1) The McCourts are carpetbagging a-holes who siphoned Dodger revenue to finance their obscene lifestyle. Legal, yes…ethical and caring for Dodger tradition and its fans…NO. And so we unanimously despise them.
2) The front office has refused to pony up zillions for the top-notch FAs. ITD is severely divided on this point. I, for one, support this policy (but not because McCourt is broke). I don’t need any more wealthy SOBs snubbing the media, snubbing kids wanting an autograph, and stuffing greedy agents’ pockets with ungodly cash. Play the kids. The glossiest rosters don’t always win.
3) Ned is a polarizing figure. You think? He stocks the roster with second-tier players, makes questionable FA signings, and makes equally questionable trades. We have six more months of fun with this. But remember, Philly was burying Ruben Amaro Jr. all winter…and with one signing, he’s now attained deity status. Zero credibility on the Philly blog. Let’s not lose credibility here.
4) We all love Dodgers or we wouldn’t be here.
5) Chavez Ravine is Blue Heaven on Earth. Baseball is a beautiful, physical, cerebral game…our favorite game on the planet.

It would indeed be great if Loney hit about 30 more dingers a year but he probably will not. He still drives in runs, and I’m OK with him. He’s solid. Spectacular would be better, but I’ll settle for solid.

Eric, the Watusi? Funny stuff. It should also be noted that in addition to Eric’s letter to the L.A. Times today, there were other letters blasting the Angels’ Arte Moreno for being so cheap in underbidding on Carl Crawford. Hey Angel fans, at least he tried!

A fabulous song by enchanted, dodgereric gets another brilliant (and funny) letter into the Times, and all these thought-provoking posts means there is no shortage of talented writers on ITD. Great job everyone!!!

Hey Frank…….
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I don’t care what anybody say’s………………………..
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I am on your side……….
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Don’t sale dude!!!!!!
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Frank…….Jamie is a good ladie….. L.A. is a great town……
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This goes out to the both of you!!!!!
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You have an oppourtunity here……..to we’ll sort of create a fairytale………….
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There is no real good reason you two, cant reconcile and become…………the epitomy……of everything that is…………………………wrong with society today………Frank how hard can this be…..hell I about got my *** beat by a bunch of Cowboy’s…….because ………………………………………….Frank I still give everything I can to my wife and kids…..I love them uncondintionally……..and Frank…….this is what irrates me about you and Jamie……….I don’t have a penny worth fighting for!!…and yet In fight for what I LOVE………Day in and day out!!! without any Lawyers……….just Love!!!! My biggest mistake…is that ……………………we’ll Frank………I haven’t realized my biggest mistake……and Jamie the best thing in life is to love your man unconditionally…..through gunshots….through whatever………………You are both, older and much more well off then me………but what I speak of……is solid gold!!!!!

Jamie on the other hand………..forced a loving husband, awry……How many of you, wouldn’t passify your love……\.
Hey Frank!!! I ain’t the normal Dodger Fan!!!!! But then again…..I ain’t the normal, we’ll guy that believes……Good Over rules everything ELSE!!!!

You can’t fool me…….I have been there and perservered baby!!!!! I’ts bigger than the Dodgers, it’s bigger than me……..It is what my grand kids gauge their life upon……………………………Grow Up the both of you………………….end of story!!!!!

You can’t fool me…….I have been there and perservered baby!!!!! I’ts bigger than the Dodgers, it’s bigger than me……..It is what my grand kids gauge their life upon……………………………Grow Up the both of you………………….end of story!!!!!

You can’t fool me…….I have been there and perservered baby!!!!! I’ts bigger than the Dodgers, it’s bigger than me……..It is what my grand kids gauge their life upon……………………………Grow Up the both of you………………….end of story!!!!!

Look, I ain’t done fighting for what I believe in!!!!! Grandkids, great grandkids…….makes a World Series Ring……….look like we’ll………..Man, it makes a World Series Ring………..something worth fighting for…….I am a fighter,,,,,man I am a fighter!!! I don’t always win….. But I never give in!!!!!! ………….Frank!!!! Ned!!!! The rest of y’all……………..It’s just baseball…… Throw it, catch it, hit it……………Settle you two, heck say I do again,,,,,,,,I am all for that….It is the best option!!!!!

The best option would be that they both get indicted for tax evasion and before going to jail, they’d be forced to sell the team to someone that might actually be able to afford and run it, and that they take Ned with them.

Hello Gang!!! Hope you are all doing well!!! Lots of great posts by everyone. I’ve enjoyed reading you all. Beav, great song!!! I laughed and enjoyed it very much. As for left field, I wish Ned would just leave it alone for now. Give Paul a shot and revisit it in June or July if it needs fixed. Besides, there really isn’t a good option out there at the present time. Ned needs to focus on the bullpen for now in my opinion. No deal is better than a bad deal and that is usually what Ned gets when he gets over anxious and in panic mode(pretty much the story of his tenure in LA up to this year). Fix the bullpen Ned and leave left alone for now!!!!!

Hey Jhall!! I would love to see Paul get a chance to play. It can’t be any worse than getting a pvl we don’t need, and like you said, if it’s not working out and we happen to be in contention, then go looking in July.

As Beav pointed out as well as some others(and I agreed), we should have been selling in July and August last year. Those panic moves last July and August really set us back and for absolutely no gain. You got to know when to hold’em and when to fold’em. I’d love to play poker with Ned!!! Geez!!!! Also, I can’t believe our farm system cannot develope a decent left fielder. Double Geez!!!

Hi’Ya Nelly!!! Always makes my day to see/read you. Would have gotten to you sooner but I’ve been submission errored.. Yep, there’s nothing out there for left field. Give Paul a shot. Our bullpen needs more attention right now. Hope you and yours are all well and happy!!!

E — love it!
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Kiki — I think that is an ok suggestion – just not sure Ned could do it. At this point that is the route needed to go (trade). I hope he’s looking at teams with a surplus of OF’s. I’m not ready to quit on Brox. I think he has the potential and was a stud as a set up guy. I still think they should sign Soriano to be the closer. Brox could set up and have Kuo & Jensen as the 7th inning guys. That would be an awesome back end of the bully and we would at least be strong in one area.
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CP — I have been busy (as usual) so I’ve not been able to get on here much but I still read daily. Just it is so difficult to post and I don’t have the time to sit and wait for the posts to go through (Hello Josh!!!!). I like your posts a lot and hope you don’t stop posting due to my comments. I’m a fan through tothe end. I really like many if our players but feel the owners & management has let those players and us fans down. I don’t and haven’t always banged on them but do so now that I feel this way.
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I for one appreciate your point of view and have never said that you shouldn’t go to any games. Nor would i ever give you or anyone else a bad time for going. I wouldn’t want to make you feel bad for going either. I just want to be able to get fans together to be able to have the voices of displeasure be heard. I want to support the team (players) as well. Maybe if there is a change in ownership that will help the players in the long run.

Hello ITD!
Tru, I first read that hoville? Don’t ask me why. But Whoville is better. E, you always entertain!
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Is always nice when I goggle something and I find the ITD there, then I click and start re-reading from a post from long ago with some of the same posters as today and some that no longer post. The post was from our Dodger historian Mark Langill.
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When is this rain going to stop??? Oh, and I read all the letters to the LA Times but I guess I did not noticed the names. Which one was Eric? I liked the one with the board game names.
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

Just a question, is there anybody out there in Dodgerland who believes that there is a chance the D’s trade for Carlos Quentin? We have arms to trade, namely Broxton, and apparently a pretty good minor league system, so there could be another trade chip in there. Opinions???

Jeez you two. If it was Hoville it would limit us to someone like Heidi Fleiss…

Still not a bad idea when compared to Podsednik, though she’s a bit of a free swinger from what I hear. Her pregame is good though – she’s got a book on everybody. Nah, Frank will never go for it – she gets her payment up front and Frank always wants to defer his.

Ned should sign Eckstein to play 2b, move Uribe to 3b and Blake to Left field. His failure would be complete. I mean really we have basically stayed the same with pitching, gotten a little worse with hitting and our defense is about the same. in other words, not really good enough.

Carlos Quentin would actually make sense, that’s why it’s not going to happen. That might actually improve this 4Th or 5Th place team, but with Ned in charge, that’s not going to happen. I wonder if Neddy is a drinker? The reason I ask is because the only way you make some of the deals and signings that he has made, is if you’re cooked.

It’s not in the best interest of Neddy Claus to sign or trade for someone who is young enough to still be arbitration eligible, or right at FA with many more prime years to go. Unless they came up through the system, you won’t get a contract offer if your young. Case and point, Matt Kemp. Loney still has no long term contract and that’s the problem with Colleti. It’s this double standard, wether or not you sign a player that came up through the ranks to a good contract or make him feel like crap. Loney, Billingsley, Kuo, etc. Even Kershaw needs to be signed long term NOW..And here, I thought there was a youth movement going on.

Now, as to why Ned won’t sign them long term, maybe he feels he can get a better version of his own players, and so far, he hasn’t.

Our minor league is a joke at this point. We keep having to trade to players that are over the hill, and to this point, not one player has come up in almost 2 yrs, and made an immediate impact on this team. This minor league is a joke. We need position players, and more latin players, because for the life of me, they have more brute strength and raw power, and yet, year after year, they draft more pitchers.

I mean, how many pitchers do we have, that have yet to even begin to come up. They say most of our better players are in the lower tier of the minors, but we need something other than pitchers. Better hitters, better offensive players.

Bring up Dee Gordon, Chin Lung Hu, Ivan DeJesus Jr., Xavier Paul etc. If not now, then trade them away, because we’ve been hearing of them since 2008, and now we’re going into 2011, but we still anxiously await to see if they are actually worth the fact that we couldn’t get an ACE.

And at this point in time, I’m not even petitioning for an ACE, but how long can they tell us that Hu, and Elbert are legitimate Major Leaguers, when one can’t hit and the other runs from tough situations. Lack of passion IMO.

What we need is to draft for the next 5 seasons, in the first few rounds, hitters in the positions of C, 2B, 3B, OF and then work our way to Pitching in the later rounds. We need to stop being mediocre in the drafting phase, because if you don’t get a good lead off, you’ll be picked off the bag..

And when will we have a Catcher that’s ours actually make it to big league club.
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By yunghitterz89 on December 21, 2010 12:21 AM

Answer – When Ned quits trading them away for crap.

I firmly believe though that all of the young guns were held back from developing further by JoJo The Clown & Co. What might’ve been had they been managed and coached by Scioscia or Girardi – someone who actually likes and can relate to good young players. That’s why I’m actually holding out some hope for Little Joey Two Trips and the new coaching staff to get better performances out of these guys.

Another person that nobody mentions and everyone gives a pass to is Logan White. How long can his reputation sustain on only Kershaw and Bills, and Loney and Kemp? Not to mention Broxton. What happened in the drafts since these guys were drafted? Where are all the good pitchers and position players that other teams seem to find and develop? In this system from what I’ve seen nobody should be untouchable, maybe Kershaw, but nobody else for the right deal. This club is not improving, it’s stagnating, and or slipping. As far as I’m concerned even Logan White hasn’t been really on the mark, and these recent drafts have so far produced nothing. If they’re good bring them up, and if they’re not, try to get something for them now before they become worthless, like Ned, and Frank, and let’s not forget Jamie.

The interesting part… ?That could be difficult considering that big-market teams such as the Red Sox and New York Yankees are not bidding for Beltre and the Texas Rangers’ interest reportedly has waned.?
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Obviously no one considers the Dodgers a ?big market? team anymore to even get a mention.
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Thanks Frank.

Is hard to believe Beltre is 31, I remember him when he was underage and being one of Luchy Guerra’s “kids.” it would be hard for many of us to see him as an Angel if he signs there.
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

32 – in White’s defense, its hard to have another crop of prospects up with the big club when Ned blocks their progress with another PVL or trades them away for one, and/or Joe wouldn’t play them.
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Santana would be the most sure-fire one of the bunch Ned gave away, but others like LaRoche were never given a fair chance. Soon to add on that list will be Hu, DeJesus and Paul. DeWitt played out of position and was yo-yo’d for a couple years. May never got a shot. Bell never got a shot… maybe none would’ve made it big, but the prospects were there.
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Which is why had management gone after impact FAs to fill a big hole or three, what prospects they did have would’ve been able to fill in the gaps since they wouldn’t have been looked upon to carry the team.

Then again, give him money to play with, and we’d have every San Francisco Giant over the age of 31 on our team, handsomely paid at that, while he’s calling Matt Kemp sawed-off and Andre Ethier a red-headed stepchild in the press.

Getting a new GM would be like getting the finest Italian leather upholstery in a broke-down, push-button-ignition Ford Pinto.

Considering the fact that the owner hasn’t changed, I can deal with the tattered tweed until Bud, the other 31 owners and AAA tow away this clunker and take our chances on a new deal.

As for Logan White, part of the problem is that Frank doesn’t want any youngster to get paid. (as well as the fact that prices are ASTRONOMICAL for youngsters who have yet to even put on a MINOR league uni).

I’m cautiously optimistic for next season. Expectations were WAY high last year, this year, maybe not so much. It just feels like we’re on the cusp of some good news, enough pinholes in the jar top to survive until then.

Bear – I think between Frank and Ned, they’re two holes of the “A” variety.

Anyone think since we don’t have a LFer, a LOOGY and only a broken down 3Bman that we’re just about due for the Ned “The roster is fluid and the team you start with isn’t necessarily the team you finish with” speech?

BTW, if you’re keeping tabs on next year’s turnover that Ned will be filling holes for: 3B, LF, SS, C, SP, Closer, and an entire bench.
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Not to worry though, Pierre will be available again.

I am in the camp on cautiously optimistic. I believe that a great deal of the actual on field issues these past couple of years had to do with a lack of trust in our young players at the time, and I am hoping to see a change in that thinking by Mattingly. That will go a long way in terms of a team thinking they can and knowing and believing they can do whatever it takes to win.

Hey Happy Holidays ITD!
I am in the spirit, and optimism is way better that the alternative, cautious, conservative or overflowing, take it to this new season.
Yea let Donnie manage, I hope Ned is on such a hot seat, this season that if the dodgers are cellar dwellars in May, he makes it public his dissatisfaction, and puts Lopes as Manager, just like he called Kemp out last year.
Logan white as not had a chance lately, there were so many draft picks he missed by NED not offering arbitration to Wolf and Hudson, for example.
To the realists, and yes I will become one when the season starts, Im not excited of what we acquired, but let them play, if it is over their heads then I can visulize a WS ring for the Dodgers. Proper execution between the chalk lines.

It’s pretty mind-boggling how many times prospects seem to spurn the Dodgers, and rather than get money to play baseball, they go to school or go play overseas, or even play independent ball.

Luke Hochevar was the best idea for me of someone who was good, looked good to sign, and then didn’t. What is it about The Dodgers that they don’t feel as a good investment of their future.

We get Zack Lee to sign, but down to the wire, for $5 mil. That’s a pretty penny. Why sign pitchers who will be overpaid before a single pitch instead of someone who can be had for alot less. Pitchers are the prime in any draft, but hitters are also needed to field a team.

Yunghitterz, the Zach Lee draft and signing was a big issue here on ITD because at the time it seemed clear to just about everyone that this young man was set on playing football at LSU. Many people questioned why the Dodgers would draft such a player since the only way to get him to give up football was to drop enough money on him so he would change his mind. Did anyone think the Dodgers would be willing to pay a draftee a lot of money? They wouldn’t do it with Hochever (a Borass client, by the way) so why expect them to do it with Lee? We all wondered why even draft him if he was not signable. Then at the last minute he signs and moves out of the dorm room. Go figure.

The real question is why have so many of the pitchers the Dodgers have drafted failed to make it with the Dodgers? I know Kershaw, Bills and Broxton have come up through the system and maybe it is just a numbers game. But what about the Chuck Tiffany’s and James McDonald’s? I recall a lot of fanfare about Tiffany but he is gone and James McDonald is gone after a couple of times being named minr league player of the year. What about all the other guys who came in with a lot of promise only to suffer injuries, bad luck or lack of development.

Everyone knows Dodger Stadium is a pitcher’s park. The Dodgers historically built teams around pitching and as far as I can tell they seem to favor drafting high school pitchers rather than the Money Ball philosophy of drafting older college players. I have no idea if one way works better than the other but all I do know is the Dodgers have drafted and signed a lot of pitchers over the past few years.

With that being said, I do wonder why the Dodgers have not been able to draft and develope a decent power hitter. Certainly these players are out there. It would be an interesting question to pose to management responsible for player development.

Maybe it’s because management doesn’t have a clue, or direction, or the finances. It could be anyone of those 3 things or all 3. The problem as I see it, is that it won’t improve until there is new ownership in place. Then maybe we’ll get to see someone that has a plan for making this team a winner again and not just for making it their own personal ATM.

I wanted to wish everyone a very MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR. Its been a privilege interacting with you all. Through good times and bad for our boys in Blue you’ve made it more fun. Thank you. π
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Thank you too Josh for giving us this forum and outlet for our passion.

Happy Christmas Eve….hope everyone has the best ever Cristmas and my wish is for all of you to have a wonderful New Year.
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As Enchanted said, I also enjoy my time with all of you. Agree or disagree, we ALL love the Dodgers and want the best for our team.

I leave you with one last song for 2010. Dedicated to all the NRI’s Ned will pick up the next couple months. Neil Young, Heart of Gold.
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FART OF OLD
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[Harmonica lead-in]
No coin to give,
Team?s like a sieve.
There?s nothing finer
Than a fart of old.
It?s this recession
Can?t ?ford to live.
That keeps Ned searchin?
For a fart of old.
Thinks he?s strikin? gold.
Ned keeps searchin’
For a fart of old.
Thinks he’s strikin’ gold.
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[Harmonica bridge]
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We?ve had us Mannywood
But he was no good.
Ne?d go to Goshen
For a fart of old.
Instead of fine wine
We get us dead pine.
It keeps Ned searchin?
For a fart of old.
Thinks he?s strikin? gold.
Keeps Ned searchin’
For a fart of old.
Thinks he’s strikin’ gold.
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[Harmonica interlude]
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It keeps Ned searchin?
For a fart of old.
Keeps Ned searchin?
For some more fool?s gold.
Keeps Ned searchin?
For a fart of old.
There?s nothing finer
Than a fart of o-o-old.

Merry Christmas to all the ITD family!
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Josh,
thank you for the blog. Hard to believe the blog and MLB blogs have been around for five years. BTW, it has been another 11 days since your last post. You must be snug as a bug waiting for Santa.
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I resposted my “Twas the Night before Christmas at the MLB Blogs” in my blog that I started last year but I did not post here before.
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TWAS THE NIGHT BEOFRE CHRISTMAS AT THE MLB BLOGS
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Twas the Night Before Christmas and in every house
All good MLB bloggers and readers were clicking their mouse
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They hung all their stockings, decorated their trees
and now it was time to sit down and see
What everyone posted on this Christmas Eve.
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A nice break to read a bunch of good bloggers
Was just what they needed, but Oh no! the buggers!
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When they went to the MLB site, none could be found.
“Oh no, we’re afraid Mark went out of town
Is the server down the reason we cannot read?
How could he do this in our time of need?
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The bloggers all panicked, they shivered in fright,
They pined for their read/write and settled in for the night.
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“Could we have misspelled the link? Did we hit the wrong key?
Did it go to LALA land?” Oh such misery!
And then in a flash, with a stroke of a key,
One by one, they discovered their Christmas Eve reads.
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Their eyes how they twinkled, they laughed and smiled.
And they settled into the chair to read/write for a while.
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Their hearts were delighted, they felt just like kids,
But it’s still such a mystery where the MLB links had hid.
Was it there all the time and they just didn’t see?
Or did Santa step in and do a good deed?
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Good baseball fans are on Santa’s list
And good MLB bloggers and readers he vows never to miss.
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It’s been a long night, time to climb into bed,
So they shut down their computers and laid down their heads.
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But in a quiet of night, before things came to an end,
They heard “Thanks for reading and writing with me,
Its great to read and write with baseball friends!”
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I wish you peace and joy!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
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Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

E,
Great song! Are you sure it will be the last one for 2010. Inspiration might strike you again π
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I am looking fororward to midnight mass on Christmas Eve at Annunciation Church in Arcadia.
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

You might be an Ethieraholic if your mom (trublu4ever) buys you a glass bowl with the LA logo and the word Ethieraholic etched into it. I love it!!! I couldn’t wait!! I opened it before I left this morning. Thank you so much!!

I want to wish this wonderful ITD family a very Merry Christmas! Like many have said, we are here together through the good times and the bad, and it is great to be able to share it all with such devoted fans, who certainly aren’t lacking in creativity.

Outstanding CZ and Beav!!! LOL!!! It has been a true pleasure and priviledge interacting with you all this past year. Merry Christmas and All The Best for the New Year!!!! Excelsior True Blue Believers!!!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone………
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With a 5 man rotation, these are the away games, until the All-Star break. At the present time, before Spring Training we carry 6 starters. ( The healthy Padilla factor )
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According to the McCourt’s spokesperson, Frank has made it abundantly clear that he intends to own the Dodgers longterm, and that he plans for his four boys to run and operate the Dodgers someday. ******a very big sigh******

Messagebear – Andre is going to have a fabulous year, and I look forward to seeing him play too because if the above statement is true, this just may very well be his last year. I plan to enjoy every game he plays in Dodger blue.

Via the awesome http://www.vinscullyismyhomeboy.com , here’s a youtube clip of 80’s Dodgers being given a… um… hilariously funny (and NotSafeForWorkOr21stCenturyPCAmerica) “pep talk” by Mr. Warmth himself, Don Rickles. (It wouldn’t feel right to me not to show a Rickles clip without including his iconic intro music, which would be the first 20 seconds of this clip here: . it’s the ONLY thing the Rickles clip is missing.)

Here’s Rickles, and once again, DEFINITELY not safe for the kiddies, though not one four-letter word is uttered:

Gives a new meaning to Dodger Blue, eh?

I wonder what Don would have to say to the current owner about the negative press that he’s allowed to tarnish the team, but I’m pretty sure whatever those thoughts would be, they’d not only be a good-natured ribbing from a long-time Dodgers fan, but would also probably get any of us banned if we typed it in the comments, heheh.

If the Dodgers do indeed move Hu, I don’t see this as much of a loss to the organization. As popular as Hu is with the fans, he has not shown he can hit major league pitching. Hopefully Dee Gordon will be able to do so when he gets the chance.

Merry belated X-Mas to all, and an even more amazing New Years to come to all. In light of this off-season, I guess its a fair assumption to say that we’re still waiting for Santa Ned to bring us what we have always wanted. So far, its been clothes that don’t fit , socks of different lengths, clothes that you’d never wear, a pair of shoes that you returned from the past season, a couple gift cards to a good store, but no X-BOX 360 or BMW in the driveway.

Simply put, we’re still waiting on a dream and miracle to happen, one in which an OF with some notoriety falls into our laps. With many teams, it’s not wether they’d trade one of their young guys, but rather who can they get back for him, and how many till arbitration. Such is the case with most of the lower payroll teams, and wether to sign a player long term or let the process drone on, the simple fact remains that at some point, Management will grow tired of you.

That’s why rookies have such high regard nowadays. The ideology that a 28 yr old isn’t good, and instead, a 23 yr old with 5 yrs of control is better, is the new norm. Teams like Cleveland, Boston, Royals, etc take the few consistent pieces, and get more to build around.

So in my humble opinion, its not wether or not this team wants a notable, its wether or not this team can survive without one. Go after Ellsburry or Sizemore or even Beltran. Injuries have riddled their careers, but imagine the difference they would make on this team, if, and god willing, were to be healthy.

Moving Kemp to RF and Ethier to LF would allow any of the 3 noted above to play their natural position. Or, have them switch to the RF side, and Ethier back to his natural position of LF.

What would it take to acquire one of these. Probably Elbert, Paul, Gould, and someone else. Maybe those that are out of options.

So far, all that Neddy Claus has done is trade away Hu, release Leach, and, well, on the top of my mind, I cannot recall who else he has jettisoned away in some form, but he has gotten bullpen help for the future for pieces that didn’t work out.

Good luck to Hu, but in all honesty, the team didn’t lose much. Heck, if he had any sort of bat, they would of kept him, but he peaked, and won’t be much more than a Jamey Caroll type with a lot less power, about the same speed, and “MAYBE” the same defense. .191 won’t cut it, and it’s about time they did this. Mediocrity for a top prospect should not be tolerated, especially one that was ranked, I believe somewhere from #40-#70 in top prospects in the minors at one point in time.

Good luck being a Met, start stretching because you will get hurt. Must be a curse.

Hu may not have had a lot of at bats at the major league level but clearly he never had any “wow” factor offensively when he did get opportunities (except, of course, for allowing Vinny to finally say “Hu’s on first”). Young players sometimes have to force their way into the lineup which means taking advantage of the opportunities they do get such as filling in for an injured players. Sometimes another player blocks the way. How many shortstops/third basemen in the Yankee organization have been blocked by Jeter and A-Rod? Maybe Hu will turn into an everyday player for another club but clearly it was not going to happen with the Dodgers.

It is being reported that in the last 15 months, 22 front office employees have left the Dodgers Organization. That is a very sad thing because, IMO, there is only one reason for this to be happening……..the ownership sucks!

Also, if you didn’t already know……………Dotel is going to the Blue Jays on a one year contract for $3.5 million. That is one price tag I am glad the Dodgers are not paying, but what did he do to deserve that kind of money? When he starts his season with the Blue Jays, he will have pitched for 11 different teams.

One of the worst things an organization can do is to over value it’s own prospects. We’ve seen this numerous times with the Dodgers. That and the fact that Ned is an idiot are 2 of the reasons that this team will not be competitive. Of course the other reason is because our low life owners the McCourts care more about taking money out of the organization for their own life styles rather than to build a good team that has a chance of going to the World Series without having to buy tickets first. I know people hate the fact that the only way this can change is if the McCourts start losing money, and the only way to make this happen is to boycott the stadium, but if you’re not willing to take these steps, and I understand that for some people it’s a hard thing to do, then you really can’t complain about the on field product. I would say to those people that if you have to go see the Dodgers play, then go watch them play in Anaheim, or like I do on TV.

Nelly, if Dotel can get that kind of money it only prooves how desperate some teams are for players, especially pitchers. One would think with all the players drafted out of high school or signed from other parts of the world there would be a steady stream of talent. But just as in the business world, major league teams opt for experience over inexperience. It is really hard to make it to the majors and stay there, which tells me there is a dearth of major league caliber talent available considering the marginal players who seem to find a job year in and year out (see Craig Counsel). Why is this? Too many teams which equates to too many bad teams.

And to Dodger 32, all fans have a right to complain about the product on the field but couldn’t it be argued that those who are willing and able to buy tickets might have more of a right to complain? Remember, buying a ticket only gets one into the stadium; it does not guarantee a win or a winning season. Cub fans have supported that team and what has been their reward? I think we all have a right to expect excellance on the field.

The Dodgers will be competitive this season…their pitching appears stronger than most. Still curious who get’s the lion’s share of starts in left field. But as far as the McCourts and boycotts and ethics and fans…sports in America is being funded more and more by media and corporations. That’s the reality. Players appreciate a loud, boisterous home field, but it’s not a deal clincher. First-place teams usually have fans who make a lot of noise, anyway. They’re called front runners. As a long-time, die-hard Dodgers fan, only the miles and the pricing keep me from Dodger stadium these days. It’s my loss, not the Dodgers’. Still, I refuse to allow a dirt-bag owner to wreck my little passion. I watch or listen to just about every inning of every game. But at the end of the day, it’s just baseball. There are far greater issues…like the leak I noticed in my ceiling today.

I understand that people that actually buy tickets and go to the stadium may have just as much or maybe even more of a right to complain about the on field product. All I’m saying is if the stadium is full with fans, don’t expect anything to change as long as the lowlife McCourts are in charge. After all if they’re making money, why would they change a thing?

To all my ITD Family ~ It has been another fantastic year of discussion (which is sure to continue); another fabulous year of statistics (the good, the bad and the ugly); and it’s been another awesome year of songs and other creative outlets to express our feelings about our current situation with management (the owners and GM in particular). I pretty much learn something new about our Dodgers each and everyday from reading your comments, and I look forward to another year of the same. Like Kahli said, it’s just baseball, but what an amazing game it is, with some of the best history to go along with it. I hope you all have a wonderful New Years, and I wish you all the best in 2011. No matter how well the Dodgers do in this 2011 season, it is always a pleasure conversing with all of you, and I look forward to another year of great discussions, songs and statistics. CHEERS TO AN AMAZING 2011!!!

Happy New Year Everybody.
Looking forward to getting back to the postseason and now after the Giants have won their first World Championship in SF, I’d love to see the Dodgers do what they did the following year after the Giants won their last, in New York.

LOL OBF! I wasn’t thinking they were toast but now that you bring it up… they really were. I think most of us new that at the trading deadline except for Ned.
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Happy New Year to everybody!! I hope & pray everybody has a great 1/1/11 and an awesome year!
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I miss chatting with many of you but have been really busy with work. In my 18 years it’s been the toughest 9-12 months. It will get better though… it always does!

Whoa! No new post since I visited here last! wow!
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I have not updated my blog either since December 30th when I made a quick trip to work after dropping my out of town friend at her hotel. The post was at 1:30 AM . I posted my question to Ozzie Guillen and his funny response when I asked him in his blog what he thought of Uribe . Only Ozzie can get away with that response.
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I need to update my blog but I’ve been so busy with my out of town friend that left yesterday. She came to watch the Rose Parade (stayed one night at my place) but we also went to Santa Barbara, the Griffith Observatory and she went horse back riding at Griffith Park. We went wine tasting in Santa Barbara and the San Antonio Winery after a quick visit to Dodger Stadium.
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No roof leak for me but a few days before my out of town arrived, my oven stopped working so after stressing to replace my stove I decided to work on that after she left. They only make electric drop-in stoves now (no gas). I made a spiral ham in the crockpot that came out very good. I also made stuffing and turkey breast in the crock pot that my brother said it was great. Also two days before Sandi arrived I had a leak in one of the bathroom that one guy I called (he had given me a card at Home Depot) made worst and I had to call another or should I say a real plumber.
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I live 13 miles from Dodger Stadium. I don’t like going to Anaheim Stadium. The time I went with Erik for a Dodger game, we were treated like we were not welcome there from the ticket office, to the ushers to the security. Of the 12 stadiums I’ve been to, that is the stadium I felt that way. I have not been back to a Dodger game there since then, only to the All-Star game. Anyway, I won’t let the ownership deprive me of going to Dodger Stadium.
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The company that I work for has a shutdown from the 24th to New Years Day so we return to work tomorrow but I had to put in 16 hours at work one day, worked two hours the day I went back after dropping my friend, Sunday 12/26 I got a call so I had pull my work laptop, New Years Day I got another text from a user that said needed help ASAP. I was heading to the parade so I told him to call my boss and last night I got another call from same user so I had time off with work mixed in. I am a salay employee and work in IT so it goes with the territory to be on call.
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They have the toaster at the Top of the Park.
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I Wish everyone a very happy 2011!
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

Boy Jhall!!!! Your Buckeyes sure know how to keep their fans on the edge of their seats. Congrats to your Buckeyes for being the only Big 10 team to win a bowl game this season, and also congrats in finally beating the SEC in a bowl game :)))

The ownership had better hope that this quiet, among the most silent periods on ITD’s comment section since I’ve been reading in ’06, is not indicative of fan interest. My guess is that this isn’t. It’s more indicative of weariness with seeing our favorite franchise being stubbornly tarnished, a reflection of a franchise that saw July 31st, 2010 as a time to Buy in the face of logical realism that showed any onlookers not paid by the McCourts that this was not a time to send youngsters en masse to other clubs for elder PVLs in a futile attempt to sniff the playoffs.

Holding on to the team now, as 29 other owners give the once-respected chair of Dodgers Owner the cold shoulder (a year after they banded together to help out the Rangers, as pointed out on sonsofstevegarvey.com ), is just as stubborn as sending prospects to Pittsburgh for an obviously-on-his-way-down-in-2010 Dotel.

The moves made this offseason hardly speak to the promise made that we’d be aiming to make a splash in 2011. I consider the new additions, as all Americans should be, as innocent-until-proven-guilty, but they’re hardly a confidence booster on their own.

The GLARING problem I see with the franchise these days is that McCourt ownership wants to lure fans to the Stadium by offering enough coporate crossovers (Spongebob night, Star Wars night, Hobbits night, etc) and shiny objects (action figures, snuggies, etc) to fill the seats.

Used to be that the Dodgers lured fans to the Stadium by ensuring the best quality baseball available was starting on our field, in our home whites.

There were no major advertisements. The only music on the speakers was organ music.

It worked.

Will shiny objects be enough this season? How soon will the farm recover from the McCourt-mandated exodus?

At least when Ray Kinsella plowed under his cash crop, he had Shoeless Joe Jackson, Smokey Joe Wood, Mel Ott and Gil Hodges playing for his home team. (And freeze-frame the concession prices at Fenway Park during the movie: all 2 digit prices. Guess gouging fans for concessions is a McCourt thing, not neccessarily a Boston thing).

What I find sad is that people fall for McCourts stupid promotions rather than demand a good on field product. I bet this years team will get shut out even more than last years. Now that’s something to look forward to. How sad indeed.

December 13th was the date this post was created. 31-13 = 18. 18 + 5 = 23. 23 days since we’ve had a new post and there are 213 comments. Maybe I should have used a combination of these numbers for the $330 million lotto.
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Surely there is something to report Josh or Mark! Anyone working out at Dodger Stadium for the Winter workouts?
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I am getting worry Josh! Espero que estes bien.
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com

Dodger 32, fans have been “falling” for the giveaway promos at Dodger Stadium for as long as I can remember and I am sure will continue to do so. I do expect attendence to suffer this year if the team does not perform well. I attended a couple giveaway games last season and I can assure you those games were not as well attended as in past years. But anytime you give away something, fans will show interest.

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